Mess

You know your life is a mess when...

• You can't see the floor of your bedroom
• You can't see the floor of your car
• Your eating habits include fast food and diet coke at most meals
• Your wife has been sick for a week
• Your sleeping patterns are still thrown off from an all-nighter a week ago

I'm in the process of cleaning up. the car. the room. the eating habits. the sleep patterns. my lady's health.

I have come to terms...

I have finally come to terms with my BOOK A.D.D. I no longer have to feel guilty for putting down a book to start another book. Instead, I read 5-6 at a time. I have a schedule (based on the things I want to learn about) and a designated day to read the book that falls under that category. Here is my schedule and the books I am currently reading:

• SUNDAY- "Marriage" (Currently reading Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas)
• MONDAY- "Creativity" (Currently reading The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharpe)
• TUESDAY- "Leadership" (Currently reading Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders)
• WEDNESDAY- "Youth Ministry" (Currently reading Speaking to Teenagers by Doug Fields and Duffy Robbins)
• THURSDAY- "Theology" (Currently reading Religion Saves by Mark Driscoll)
• FRIDAY- "Current Events" (Currently reading a variety of online news articles)
• SATURDAY- "Fiction/Poetry" (Currently reading Untune the Sky by Douglas Wilson)

Youth Sunday: LIVE!

Last Sunday, I preached for Youth Sunday.  We wrapped up our summer series: LIVE!  You can listen to the recording here.  The first part is a drama by two of our students (Benny and Alex), playing Nichodemus and the Samaritan Woman.  The sound cuts out in the intro, but none of the important stuff is lost.  Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Jeremy!

Today is my brother's BIRTHDAY! Jeremy Saenz is 19 years old and is growing up to be an awesome man of God! Tonight, Kaitlin and I had him over for fondue dessert. It was very yummy!

Religion Saves

I recently picked up Mark Driscoll's new Book, Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions. It is wonderful, full of so much truth and practical theology. I really enjoy Driscoll's teachings and find his prophetic ministry (speaking truth into our cultural situation, not "prophetic" in the sense of telling the future) awesome!

Here are the table of contents:

Introduction

Question 9: Birth Control

Question 8: Humor

Question 7: Predestination

Question 6: Grace

Question 5: Sexual Sin

Question 4: Faith and Works

Question 3: Dating

Question 2: The Emerging Church

Question 1: The Regulative Principal

Thanks, God

So the other day, I was praying and focusing on a heart of thanksgiving (even though it's August... crazy, right!?). A thought came into my mind as I was offering my thanks to the Lord: God, thank you for making me who I am, not who I want to be!

I often find myself praying that I would not struggle with certain sins, that I would have been created another way, or that I could change my flaws. I did have an epiphany in my moment of prayer, though. I really am thankful that God created me just the way I am. If I were created just the way I want to be, I would never have the opportunities to trust God's sovereignty.

God cannot tempt anyone with evil, I know that. However, I believe that it may be a gracious act of God NOT to heal, NOT to restore, NOT to take away our sins, brokenness, and maladies. In our brokenness and weakness, I believe that God spiritually forms us. My inept causes me to trust God, not myself. My inability leads me to the cross. He may never fully restore this side of eternity, but my faith and perseverance may greatly increase because of his gracious no to our prayers.

Will Ferrell Sunscreen... I love this!!!!

Will Ferrell Sunscreen

Shared via AddThis